At the present time, can we still feel God in our midst?
We’re so engrossed in social networking sites, mobile games, gadgets and all other things. Definitely, we’re very much occupied with our busy, active lives that it would be so uncanny we’d even have time to think about wanting to feel God.
Yet there are those rare moments when we get tired of it all.
There are times when we finally get tired of wanting or having the things this world can offer. We’re tired of doing many tasks that keep us very busy. It can be mentally draining that we likewise get tired of being competitive, overcoming trials, or getting hurt. We’re tired of everything. There seems to be a longing inside that‘s beyond explanation.
When this happened to me, I cried a lot and didn’t know what to do. I felt lost and I even attempted suicide.
I thought that by ending my life, I would be free at last from all the pain, confusion and hopelessness that were engulfing me.
Just how did I overcome this feeling? Well, it just didn’t happen overnight. That unexplainable longing turned into depression. I felt I was hurting too much that I knew seeking professional help would not work at all.
Then one day, I just found myself opening that certain book which I had been postponing to read for the longest time—the Bible.
I didn’t start reading from the Old Testament. Instead, I opened the Book of John in the New Testament. I remember crying hard afterwards. The words I read seemed to pierce my heart. But the tears were not caused by depression anymore. They were tears of joy at last. I felt like a heavy burden was removed in my chest, just through the verses I read.
That was the start of the many steps I needed to take to heal me.
I finished reading the New Testament before starting the Old, until I read the last word of the Bible. It’s really heartwarming to read the Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. I treasured the lessons I learned, and tried to become a better person because of the experience.
This Lent, I would like to reminisce about that moment when I first read the Bible because it just changed my perspectives.
It enabled me to aim beyond material gains, career promotions and ambitions. Also, it enabled me to search deeper into my soul. It paved the way for me to find true happiness and peace of mind.
Another step I took to overcome my restlessness and depression was to find God by implementing projects for needy people and even abused animals.
I have organized mini concerts for the benefit of kids with cancer and feeding programs for homeless people. I have created two small publications and sold that to my friends. The funds collected were used for the victims of calamities and tragedies. I have coordinated with charitable institutions to help support their causes.
There are people I can never forget.
The men and women behind every organization that provides help for those in dire need are awesome human beings. They’ve helped me find God in this very much materialistic world.
I have also found inspiring stories and viral photos in the internet which made me feel that God is still in our midst.
A man borrowing the shoes of a beggar, then returning that with a new pair of shoes. A little boy raising funds to feed feral animals. A boy requesting his mom to give him plenty of food so that he can share some to his poor classmates. These stories, and so much more such as these, have made me appreciate not just the season of Lent, but every season of our lives. I appreciate humanity when I see the effect of kindness in all creations.
And so I go back to my question—At the present time, can we still feel God in our midst?
Oh, yes, we still can.
